Tally-Ho! Whitworth Wander / Turkey Trot 2023

 Whitworth Wander – Turkey Trot, 27^th of a very wet December 2023

In memory of the late Brian Whitworth, a fine man, my friend, and a former Hon Sec of Tally-Ho!

The run was intended to be a shade over 8 miles, but the combination of an injured trail layer and a brook that was doing it’s best to be a river, forced a last minute re-route….thankfully.

As in recent years we ran from Little Bollington’s Olde Number 3 (Timothy Taylor’s Landlord and Theakston’s Best), although this time we hopped straight onto the Bridgewater Canal towpath and headed, muddily, into Dunham Park, passing the Swan with Two Nicks en route. The track leading to the park’s rear entrance was ankle deep in floodwater in places.

Thankfully the tracks through the park were relatively mud-free, and because of the nature of the tracks, trail-laying was a simple task.

At Dunham Massey Hall, former seat of the Earl of Stamford, we turned to head SE down Langham Grove, past Island Pool, almost as far as the Scout campsite at Home Farm, when we turned to head north(ish) passing the Deer Barn on our left.

We continued to circumnavigate the park, exiting by a stile onto Charcoal Road. A short section of tarmac followed until, just by the Dunham Brewery, we followed not particularly muddy paths into Dunham Town.

Heading north, and back on tarmac, we crossed the Bridgwater Canal and continued until joining a TransPennine Trail by Grove House Farm.

Now heading west along the soggy track we passed walkers, no doubt keen to burn off some of the excesses of the season.

It was a bit of a scramble to get off the trail using the unofficial exit at the Barns Lane Bridge, but it was manageable.

Barns Lane is a narrow and thankfully very quiet country lane. Just beyond Sam Smith’s Vine Inn we left the tarmac and followed the farm track south, over the River Bollin.

It was just beyond here that the trail was to cross Agden Brook, but it was deep and flowing fast – the enforced re-route took us SE and back to the Bridgewater Canal where we re-joined the muddy towpath which delivered us back to the Olde Number 3.

A goodly number of club members attended and took part in the run, the pub, under new management, was no doubt pleased that so many turned out to drink their beer and eat their meals.

We ended up running a little over 6½ flattish, but muddy miles…but what else would they have done on a wet Wednesday at the end of December?

No photographs I'm afraid, it was too damp.

Tally-Ho! from Chinley, 7th Oct 2023

Running from the Old Hall, Chinley

Unseasonably hot weather meant this was going to be a tough run for those who dislike running in such temperatures, and so it was.

 

The Old Hall, Chinley 

Trail consisted of either straw (or was it hay?), interspersed with the odd clump of the more traditional sawdust – whatever it was, in the bright sunshine it was often difficult to follow.

Trail

Ady and Geoff drew the short straw (see what I did there?) on this one, they set off from the Old Hall in Chinley, heading SE on the B whatever number it was….it was definitely tarmac.

The road crossed the A6, and was shortly after this, as the route left the tarmac, that some runners lost trail. Fortunately the more eagle-eyed spotted the trail as it headed up a bit of an embankment – the attached maps tells all!

Onwards, over Hall Hill and a precarious electric fence – that caused one runner to take a bit of a tumble. Fortunately the ground was soft and wet, so it was only pride that suffered damage.

A change of direction (SW) took us by the wonderfully named Sparkbottom, and on to Tunstead Milton.

It was soon after the route crossed the B5470 that things went ever so slightly awry. Via the wonders of modern technology (Whatsapp), news was received that a horse had taken an interest in the trail….so much so that some of it had been eaten by said horse. This caused some consternation, and more than a couple of sniggers.

Whatever the reason, it appeared that trail was light on the ground, consequently some runners ran rather further than others.

I was now in the agreeable company of Hon Pres Park – agreeable because, apart from anything else, he’s far better at spotting trail than I am!

 

The next challenge was to find a way out of the field by Randall Carr. A small tunnel-type railway tunnel, cleverly disguised as a bush (the tunnel, not the railway) was eventually located – and we even spotted some uneaten trail.

Uneaten trail

Our problems were only just beginning – but this is the Cheshire Hare & Hounds Tally-Ho!, nobody said it was going to be easy!

 

Holly, laden with berries

The next field was also rather lacking in visible trail – no horses here though. Eventually, after a lot of faffing about, Joe and I found a way out of this next field, onto a farm track by Meveril Farm.

After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, we picked up trail by the farm but were advised by a man holding a rather large tool (an electric planer I think) not to follow the trail ‘unless you’re very brave’ The intended route, a rarely used green lane, was overgrown with triffids – or they may have been nettles.

 

A nice bit of wrought iron

We took his advice and followed a bridleway which, whilst it meant we ran a little further, our beautiful, shapely legs escaped the ravages of the man-eating undergrowth.

Fast Taylor and Skint Wilson caught us up, and after a brief exchange of greetings, they left us in their wake.

Fast Taylor, about to step on some trail

Reaching Long Lane, another green lane, we turned west, happily trotting though calf-deep puddles of muddy water. We gained the company of Burston, and we trundled on, soon catching up with Wells, that well-known photographer.

We are running, honest!

Going north now, and on tarmac, through Horwich End, and passing the eastern edge of Whaley Bridge we trotted on, as the sun continued to beat down on us – this is early October for heaven’s sake!

Time was getting on, we knew that the trail would take us up Eccles Pike, it was going to be touch and go if we want to sit down to dinner, planned for an ealier than usual 4.30pm.

I had to leave by 5pm, so I cut trail by Eccles Fold to head back to the pub. Joe continued to follow trail to the top of Eccles Pike. I’m a firm believer in the Club’s pack system, and I felt bad about leaving him – but he seemed happy enough to continue alone.

I got back to the pub just after 4pm, had a quick wash and change in the loos, and sat down at the dining table at 4.30pm, ready to eat – I was hungry!

 

The runners, eagerly waiting for their dinner

Joe was a bit late, but he joined us at the dinner table at around 4.50pm – dinner still hadn’t arrived.

 The runners, wondering whether they're going to get their dinner

Service here, in the past, has always been good. At 5pm I had to leave, cancelling my meal, I couldn’t delay any longer. I gather the meal wasn’t actully served until 5.10pm – it was a damned good job I didn’t wait!

Whatever….

Ady & Geoff had laid an ‘interesting’ trail – not a particularly strenuous one, but certainly one that threw a few challenges our way!

I covered about 8 miles, I reckon if I’d have done the full trail, including Eccles Pike, I would have covered around 8.5 miles, with around 1600’ of ascent.

It was hot, it was hilly, the puddles were deep, nettles were plentiful, the views were tremendous, the company even better….a good trail!

Where we went:

 

Paul’s photos can be found here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/MpVJcvhcDXgo7cr79

Thanks to Ady & Geoff for the trail, and to Joe for putting up with me for much of the trail!

Thanks to Paul Wells and Mark Taylor for some of the photographs.

Tally-Ho! from Rainow, 21st Jan 2023

 

I arrived at the Robin Hood quite early for a gentle cross-country trot, as usual, following a trail of clumps of sawdust.

The weather was ideal for trail running: cool (okay, cold!) but bright – appearing even brighter because of the lying snow……you just can’t trust that lying snow.

I missed trail within the first couple of hundred yards (see the attached map of where I actually went), but soon got back on track. Losing trail is one of my strengths…..a gift you might say.

The trail led us north, by Rainow Low, and soon another opportunity was taken to lose trail.
A runner was catching me up, runners ALWAYS catch me up….and then pass me. The catcher-up was Vinnie, turbo mode.

We stuck together for a while, enjoying the lovely views whilst comparing notes.

Soon we came by Harrop Fold Farm which has great memories for me. My mate Crockett used to be the farm manager, he ran some excellent music and dance camping weekends here. Beer may also have been consumed. In quantity.

(Mostly) running NE in the direction of, but not as far as, Kettleshulme, we crossed Macclesfield Road, the B5470, before turning south and up Charles Hill and then followed almost a mile of lovely ridge.

Vinny was in camera mode – he does take some lovely photos.

All too soon we left the ridge to descend to Summer Close….was it here we came across the goat that thought it was a dog? I can’t remember. The goat was brought up with dogs and behaved like a playful puppy!

Losing height also meant we lost the sunshine, it became noticeably colder.

Around Crabtree Farm other runners appeared behind me, catching me up. It’s what other runners do.

Trail now headed west, along a bit of tarmac of Ewrin Lane, and into the setting sun.

We were now on final approach and descent to Rainow…..the ‘we’ was Eastwood and Wilson who caught me up on the Gin Clough track.

We rejoined Macclesfield Road for the last couple of hundred yards back to the Robin Hood, a nice hot shower, beer, and a nosh.

For Dawn and AlanR

It was a good day out: great route in good conditions, great company, and I even found most of the trail!

Then I called into the chippy on the way home.

Where we, well, where I went:

 

Just under 8 miles with around 1500’ of ascent.

Tally-Ho! Chinley Trail 8th October 2022

 

Another bright and remarkably warm day, given the weather forecast, saw the fine fellows of the Cheshire Hare & Hounds Tally-Ho! trail running club gather at the very fine Old Hall in Chinley for what promised to be another excellent run.

The hares, Ade and Tony (I’m in the money) Taylor, had plotted the day’s run.

Unusually this trail was marked by clumps of straw as well as the more usual sawdust…..this confused one or two of the hounds. Given the advancing years of one or two of the hounds such confusion is to be expected.

A pack consisting of Eastwood, Wislon, Brown ( not THAT Brown, the new one), Lost Markham, Fast Taylor, Doggy, and me, set off downhill (always an ominous start to a run) to follow the tarmac of a very quiet lane, across the railway by Brierley Green, then on tracks and footpaths to eventually cross Dolly Lane.

The pack soon caught up with some of the crocked club members who had decided to walk the route. They were off-trail, and were searching for the sawdust – although in all fairness the bright sunshine made it difficult to spot.

By this time Markham had been left behind, we warned the walkers to watch out for him and to make sure he didn’t get too lost.

The pack spread out over the next couple of miles of gentle ascent, either searching for trail or just easing off the pace.

At Over (the?) Hill Road we continued eastwards (eastwoods?) to the area marked on the OS map as New Allotments – a strange name for this rather inhospitable bit of the route.

 Burston, not at all very lost.

Turning north and then looping round by the disused quarries, Burston and I came across two runners coming towards us. We planned to stop them to see if they might be interested in the Club, but as the got closer it became clear that it was Jenks and Whitehead – they’d somehow lost the trail early on and ended up doing it in reverse.

A brilliant part of the route followed: over the edges of Chinley Churn and Cracken Edge – stunningly beautiful in the autumn sunshine. 

The descent by Cracken Edge was very steep, it was a shame to leave the lovely tops, but it had to be done.

 

The rather beautiful White Hall

Another ¾ mile or so got us back on to tarmac that soon delivered us back to the pub….where rehydration operations commenced.

 

The Abbeydale IPA being served was very good indeed – just a shame I was driving.

18 sat down to dinner in the dining hall. Those who’s eyes were bigger than their stomachs ordered puddings, whilst those who were, er, watching their figures, stuck to one very filling main course.

Thanks to Ady and Tony for another superb trail – a serious contender for Trail of the Season, almost as good as the New Mills trail ;-)

Thanks also to everyone who kept me company on the way round.

Where we went:

7 miles (ish), 1200’ ascent.